FocusOnTheFamily

The teacher luncheon

Written by Shannon Popkin

Flowers brightened the table, lemonade stood ready to pour and three kids bounced around the kitchen, snitching blueberries from the fruit salad and asking, “How much longer?”

On this breezy July day, five teachers would soon be arriving for lunch. Each summer, our kids invite their church and school teachers to a special luncheon, prepared and served by the kids.

I called a quick huddle to review manners and courtesy. “Remember, your job today is to serve your teachers!” They listened with wide-eyed intensity. You could almost sense their pulses quickening. The teachers were coming!

The doorbell launched our celebration. Within moments, Lindsay was squeezing her third-grade teacher, Mrs. Halka, tightly; Cole was displaying his LEGO exhibit for his music teacher, Mr. Howells, and Cade was showing off his new bunk bed to his Sunday school teacher, Mrs. Tucker.

Once the exuberance subsided, the children escorted our honoured guests to the table. The kids beamed as their teachers complimented them on the food – Lindsay’s homemade bread, the fruit Cole spent hours cutting, the chicken salad Cade helped prepare.

As the children cleared dishes and served warm slices of pie, I told the teachers, “Lindsay made our dessert with blueberries that the kids picked yesterday.” With big eyes, Cade added, “Dat was a wot of work!” His siblings shushed him as the teachers chuckled.

They had worked hard. Chopping, mixing, scrubbing. Yet now, as they refilled glasses, they smiled more enthusiastically than they had at the amusement park last week. They were tasting the joy that comes from honouring others.

Our hope for the teacher luncheon transcends a nice meal served by mannerly children. Much of our kids’ lifelong happiness teeters on how they relate to people, and we want to coach them toward success. The teacher luncheon provides extra training for “plays” we call out constantly:

“Be grateful!” “Be a servant!” “Be hospitable!”

We know these plays will produce multiplying smiles, and we hope they’ll ring in our kids’ ears for a lifetime.

Shannon Popkin and her husband, Ken, coach their three children in Grandville, Michigan.

© 2008 Focus on the Family. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

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